Cellular telephones and other radio frequency (RF) messaging, personal digital assistance, and other organizational and communication devices which use the airwaves, whether via satellite or terrestrial propagation (hereinafter for purposes of disclosure, but not in a limiting fashion “cell phones”) are ubiquitous. However, most of these devices are hand-held and thus constrain the user from performing other tasks as effectively as possible when in use. For example, persons who are operating an automobile while at the same time planting a cell phone against the ear with one hand can compromise their effectiveness and performance behind the wheel. Those who wish to take notes or be free to use both hands for other things are similarly compromised. Various devices according to the present invention address such issues.
Cell phone users are often perceived as loud and conspicuous perhaps not as much because of their nature or character, but because of the way cell phone instrument must be used. Ring tones in public places, need to talk and hear over ambient noise, difficulty in knowing whether the ringing cell phone is yours or another's, breakage from dropping, difficulty in removing from the belt and hitting the keys unlock combination are some of the issues. Additionally, cell phones with cables for the earpiece can snag on objects that break the wire, extract the plug from the phone or otherwise exasperate the user. Additionally, buttons and keys can be pressed inadvertently and in any event are often difficult to press correctly without missed cues. Lack of clarity in communication caused by the microphone being distant from the mouth is another issue which calls for improvement.
Cell phones according to the present invention fit on the head using various structures, and they contain other features such as voice recognition/voice activated dialing and operation which free the user from distraction, the need to use hands, and other physical constraints. Thus, operating heavy equipment using a headset cell phone according to the present invention could be safer than doing while using one hand to cradle a conventional cellphone against the ear. Moreover, operating a vehicle while talking to another on a cell phone according to the present invention could actually be safer than driving a vehicle while carrying on a conversation with another passenger, since the headset cell phone does not require head movement or physical gestures. Similarly, such headsets are in some ways safer than speaker phones in cars, because the driver is no longer inclined to incline the head toward the speaker in order to avoid ambient noise or conversation. Furthermore, a conventional handset cell phone in the car is easily misplaced and in any event distracts the driver from the road to locate and dial it. From a safety point of view, a hands-free headset is easier to use in an emergency context, particularly if the driver is injured or is otherwise in extremis.
One feature which enables complete headset operation without tactile intervention or manipulation is the use of voice recognition and speech activation. Such functionality typically includes computing capacity connected to a transducer such as a microphone/speaker, and digitizes and compares incoming sounds against a table or database of digitized sound files in order to identify or draw inferences about what is being said and to act on it. For instance, cell phones according to the present invention can “hear” a spoken telephone number and dial the number, can hear the command “on” and activate, can hear the command “2” in response to a call tree and send the dtmf tone combination corresponding to the numeral “2” on a conventional keypad. Accordingly, cell phones according to the present invention do not need keypads or other buttons, or displays, although they may certainly be included if desired.
Thus, tending in the direction of simplicity in men-machine interface design, headset cell phones according to present invention need contain minimal or no tactile interfaces, such as buttons or switches. Instead, voice activation and speech recognition can control all phases of operation. Control of off-hook/on-hook state, dialing of numbers, programming of speed-dial numbers, and other functions can occur using larger or smaller sets of voice commands which can be learned by software in cell phones according to the present invention. Such commands can be processed and implemented using conventional speech recognition and voice activation techniques, including those used in certain vehicular-based cell phone applications currently.
From another point of view, quietness is an advantage of headset cell phones according to the present invention. For example, a call may be answered or a ring tone may be heard permitting the user to answer with a virtually silent tone in the ear that cannot be heard by others in the vicinity such as in a meeting. The user may then leave the room or very quietly answer or communicate. Tones, rings, caller i.d., voicemail and other cues or information can be heard through an internal speaker while not disturbing others nearby.
In another aspect, the headset cell phones can be beneficial to those who have circulatory problems which prevent or hinder their ability to hold the handset on the ear for extended periods of time. In addition, those with medical conditions which inhibit mobility can also potentially communicate more quickly and more effectively without the need for manual intervention to do so.
According to various embodiments of the present invention, headset cell phones can have a special design earpiece with a private internal speaker for telephone conversations. The devices can also contain an external speaker for ring tone and open conversation so that if a telephone call can, for example, be answered or a command given while the cell phone is sitting on a base charger. The base can serve not only as a battery recharger, but also can serve as the base unit for a wireless home phone functionality in headset cell phones according to this invention. The cell phone can also contain, in the earpiece, for example, a porthole which allows sounds external to the telephone to be heard by the wearer. The porthole can be adapted to be opened and closed by voice command.
A microphone can extend via a boom from the headset, and the boom can contain a switch which can control various operations. For example, retracting the boom can correspond to off state, fully extended to on for conversation, and mid-retraction for programming and other functions. Alternatively, commands can be given by voice to effect or invoke any of these functions.
A base unit can allow the cell phone to operate also as a wireless home telephone such as by incorporating two addresses or numbers in the headset cell phone. One number can be a cell phone number and the other an extension on a home wireless network or system so that the headset cell phone is capable of both cellular and “landline” operation. For example, at home the user allows the headset cell phone to communicate with the base which communicates with the public network wire line or in conventional fashion. When the user moves out of range of the home base unit, or when a command is given, the headset cell phone can transition to communicating within the cellular telephone network rather than with the base unit. Similarly, in a business context, the base unit could allow business people to be directly accessible even though not at their desks but other places in the office.
Various embodiments of headset cell phones according to the present invention can be structured in several ways to achieve the purposes of the invention. A body position adjacent an internal earpiece and, if desired, an external earpiece and a port, can contain cell phone electronics and processing and memory capacity for carrying out voice recognition and speech activation functionality. From the body can extend a microphone boom if desired which can, if desired, function as a switch to allow the user to control off-hook, on-hook, and programming states as well as an on/off state if desired. (As mentioned above, any of these can be implemented using voice recognition/speech activation as desired). A strap or positioner can extend across the top of head, around the back of the head, down the neck and around the shoulders, or omitted if desired. The strap can contain an antenna which increases, as desired, gain in signal strength as sensed by receiver circuitry in the cell phone electronics. The body can fit with a base which can act as a charger and also, as mentioned above, as a base unit for home wireless operation. The cell phone can also operate with a first-based unit at home, a second-based unit at the office, and as otherwise desired. It can contain other communications circuitry such as “blue tooth” or IEEE 803.11 to allow data and/or voice communications with other networks and devices.
Such hands-free headset cell phones according to the present invention can be useful for government agencies because of the hands-free benefits and also quietness and privacy. For example, a police officer stopping a suspicious vehicle need approach the vehicle only once without the need to leave and then risk the danger of a second approach in order to investigate the driver on a computer in the patrol car. Quietness and other auditory functionality can also help in an emergency context by keeping the noise level low and promoting a calmer environment. Similarly, headset cell phones according to present invention promotes safety in cab, truck and delivery company fleets by helping maintain the drivers' attention on the road while allowing them to communicate with the dispatchers more effortlessly. In a similar vein, doctors, nurses and other professionals can obtain information without the need to interrupt their work or distract themselves from using both hands on the patient.
Another aspect of headset cell phones according to the present invention is use with a geographical locator including GPS functionality. This functionality can be used in a reporting fashion to allow wearers to be tracked such as in a truck fleet, hiking, accident or avalanche context.
These and other advantages, features, and objects of the present invention will become apparent with respect to the remainder of this document.